The first record of the Speckled shrimp Metapenaeus monoceros (Fabricius, 1798) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Penaeidae) from the Iranian coastal waters.

Background: Penaeid shrimps are widely distributed in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world. These family is represented with 13 species (about six genera) in the Iranian coast (Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman). This is two species of the genus Metapenaeus Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891, was reported from the areas included Metapenaeus affinis (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) and Metapenaeus stebbengi Nobili, 1904. Methods: Four adult specimens including three female and one male specimens of Metapenaeus monoceros (Fabricius, 1798), were collected by bottom trawl in January 2013 from the Gulf of Oman, the Iranian coast. The specimens were identified by external morphological characters. Results: In the present study, we report M. monoceros from the Iranian coast of the Gulf of Oman. The present material represents the first record of the species from this area. Conclusion: Until now, only two species of the genus Metapenaeus Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891, was reported from the areas. This species is native to the Indo-West Pacific region. Now recorded from the Iranian coasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]